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| Jazz at Pearl's will be hosting Enrico's Jazz Night When Enrico's restaurant and jazz club in San Francisco's famed North Beach district closed its doors for the last time on Tuesday night, October 31, 2006, San Francisco lost an historical treasure and a link back to the bohemian roots of this storied San Francisco neighborhood. Not only that, but the City lost a nationally known venue that offered high-quality jazz seven night a week. In a salute from one classic North Beach jazz establishment to another, Jazz at Pearl's (256 Columbus Avenue) will be hosting Enrico's Jazz Night on Wednesday evening, November 15, to celebrate one of the most famous restaurants and jazz locales in San Francisco history. Performing will be many of the musicians who appeared regularly at Enrico's in recent months. The show will be free and open to the public. Prominent San Francisco bon vivant Mal Sharpe, whose career as a Bay Area musician and on-air personality reaches back almost as far as Enrico's 1958 origin, will MC the event and play trombone. The rest of the currently confirmed lineup includes saxophonist Jules Broussard, pianist Chris Seibert, guitarist Ned Boynton and bassist Bing Nathan. Lavay Smith, Kim Nalley and Denise Perrier are among the high-profile vocalists scheduled to lend their voices to the tribute. "We hope musicians who have played at Enrico's over the years will stop by and visit on Wednesday night, " said Boynton, who is helping Pearl's management organize the event. Boynton began performing at Enrico's in 1992 and became the venue's musical director in 1997. Nalley, who along with her husband Steve Sheraton is co-owner of Jazz at Pearl's, said she was greatly saddened by the demise of the legendary venue. "We couldn't possibly let this closing go by without acknowledging the importance of Enrico's as a San Francisco icon and as a place where hundreds of great jazz musicians have played, " said Nalley. "As a night spot, Enrico's was extremely important to San Francisco culture. And as a venue that had jazz every night of the week, it was of course quite important to Bay Area musicians." Enrico's, which was located at 504 Broadway, was originally opened in 1958 by Enrico Banducci, who also owned the popular hungry i nightclub. The club sat at the intersection of Broadway and Kearny, a spot which, during the North Beach 60s and 70s heyday, was a fulcrum point for cutting edge music, literature and comedy in one of America's most compellingly creative neighborhoods. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |